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Will she be happy?

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TheDude4no1

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 17, 2012
Messages
11
I've been creeping around the forums for a few weeks just looking at all the incredible stones. I never would have thought I would have envy about diamonds! And you're all so knowledgeable as well.

I'm about to propose to my girlfriend in a few weeks and I thought I'd get your opinion on the stone I purchased.

GIA certified

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 1.31
Color: I
Clarity: VS2
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent.
Fluorescence: None
Culet: None
Girdle: Medium
Measurements: 7.08-7.10x4.28
Table: 59%
Depth: 60.4%


I know my stone can't compete with some of the monsters I've seen on here! And I'm sure many of the <1ct stones are more brilliant. Let me know what you think!

The attached picture is from my phone. I'm afraid of using the actual camera and her finding the picture or seeing the upload onto the computer. Sorry in advance for the poor quality!

2012-11-02_02-59-29_250.jpg
 
I'm certain your bride will be happy with this fantastic stone! She can't ask more! Congratulations and I can't wait to see it in her finger!
 
Ah...you've selected a 60/60 type diamond. Nothing wrong with that but there is a very strong preference for a different type of diamond. Since your diamond comes with a GIA cert, please provide the crown and pavilion angles. Input that into the HCA and as long as the result is between 0 and 2, you've got yourself an excellently cut diamond. With GIA, not all their excellents falls into the AGSO or ideal cut category due to the different criteria used.
https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca
 
I would go with Brian Gavin "Blue"...they are awesome or any of his signature diamonds if you want the best. There are other great vendors too that will find you the best PROVEN PERFORMING DIAMONDS for your $$.

If you go to goodoldgold.com and watch their educational videos to better inform yourself as to what will give you the best diamond for your money you will be better prepared to make the best choice.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.236-i-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104061421006#!prettyPhoto[gallery2]/0/

Please note that all of the Signature cut diamonds have the smaller tables around the mid 50%. The smaller tables with higher crowns by and large make better performing stones.
 
I would certainly be happy! I think they say the average size of a stone in the real world is ~half a carat so this isnt small by non-PS standards. I think it isnt even small by PS standards.

While 60/60 is a "different type" than many look for, it is also a type that many other people prefer. If you have concerns, I would suggest you try to find a more "traditional" MRB with ExExEx or AGS000 performance and compare the two in person. Let your eyes decide whether you are a 60/60 person or not. Of course, its likely your SO has no idea what any of this means and will just see a beautiful sparkly stone!

Congrats on your upcoming proposal!
 
Lovely size! She is very lucky!
 
Can the vendor provide an ASET image of that stone? This will help you to determine if there is any leakage and to what extent if it has some. It is difficult to tell from the picture how well it performs.
 
LJL|1351883732|3297496 said:
I would certainly be happy! I think they say the average size of a stone in the real world is ~half a carat so this isnt small by non-PS standards. I think it isnt even small by PS standards.

While 60/60 is a "different type" than many look for, it is also a type that many other people prefer. If you have concerns, I would suggest you try to find a more "traditional" MRB with ExExEx or AGS000 performance and compare the two in person. Let your eyes decide whether you are a 60/60 person or not. Of course, its likely your SO has no idea what any of this means and will just see a beautiful sparkly stone!

Congrats on your upcoming proposal!
Click to expand...

LJL - For us newbies, could you explain how the look of a 60/60 is different from an ideal cut? I've read the theory behind it but I don't quite 'get it'.
 
The stone rocks. Good choice. How much?
 
7mm+ is a good size. GIA graded it excellent cut. I don't see any obvious random facets or dead spots or windows in it. It has some arrows or close-to-arrows. Color and clarity are both nice. So I imagine the potential issues are does she like the proportions and faceting and patterning of it, compared to say, a hearts & arrows with a 55% table, or an August Vintage GOG stone, or an Old European Cut, or a different shape. Is the color white enough (it would be for me). And was the price fair for what you bought.

If the HCA cut adviser result for those proportions and angles looks good, then probably it's a good one. Some 60/60 diamonds might be farther from a modern superideal H&A pattern and symmetry, but that diamond doesn't look too far off, to me. I have one modern H&A superideal, and some older diamonds of dubious origins, but they are all pretty diamonds. If she likes rounds, I think she'll like it.
 
Yes! She will be very happy. Please do not listen to the folks here who are telling you that you need a super-ideal, or that you need to return your lovely stone and buy from a vendor or vendors that are recommended here. Your stone is a nice size, good color and clarity, and is a GIA Excellent cut. Your diamond is better than 99% of the diamonds sold in most jewelry stores in the U.S.

Not all super-ideals are alike. I've seen super-ideals with small tables that look very dark. Many stores in my area are now carrying ideal-cut diamonds, cut to a narrow range of parameters. It's not just the numbers that make a good-looking stone; it's how the numbers work together as a whole, and the level of cut precision. Cut precision, brilliance and scintillation are not *yet* taken into consideration by the various grading labs. There are many "ideal cut" diamonds out there that are not worth the premium. I'd take a well-cut 60/60 over a so-so "ideal cut" diamond any day.
 
It isn't a matter of needing one over the other, or that one is better than the other. As said before, this is a very personal preference and what better way to make the decision than by being fully informed? Compare this stone with an AGS0 diamond (a local Hearts of Fire dealer will have plenty of examples) and then decide which look appeals more to you. You might be like Lula and love the 60/60 cut or be like most of the other posters who prefer a smaller table.
 
@stci- Thanks! I hope she likes it too. Just waiting for the actual ring to come in so it can be mounted. Apparently Hurricane Sandy is causing a *hopefully* short delay.

Chrono- I spent a few months doing research and looking at stones at different local jewelers. Shopping locally is difficult. I'm 27 and a cash paying customer. I think most jewelers in my area treat me differently because they see my age and a stack of cash. They treat me like I'm ignorant. They only bring in one or two stones for me to compare at a time and overprice them 50%+ over Rap.

I'm not very familiar with all the different cut styles that are available. However, I did use the HCA advisor before I purchased my stone. The table is 59%, depth 60.4%, crown angle 33.5, crown 13.5%, pavilion angle 41.0, pavilion 43.5%. I believe this gives the stone a 1.4 or 1.5 rating. I felt that this score was acceptable. Would you be happy with this?

Ariel- Thanks for the info! Everytime I think I know a lot about diamonds, more information comes up! I did look into the Brian Gavin diamonds while I was shopping but I might have overlooked some stones that may have been affordable.

I cannot ASET the stone because I already own it and the vendor is out of state. The picture I provided certainly isn't a great picture to grade the stone. Had to use my phone to ensure secrecy. I can assure you the stone is very brilliant. After I bought received it I had to pick up a few things at Home Depot and I brought it along. Instant smile on my face.

LJL- I'm glad it's not too small. Most of my friends bought 0.5 to 0.7ct diamonds. I heard through the grapevine that she was always hopeful for a 1.00ct. Luckily she wears a size 4.5 ring so this stone should cover enough of her finger to keep her satisfied. Even more lucky, she knows ZERO about diamonds. As long as she can look down and sees sparkles, I think she'll be ok.

AprilBaby- Thank you! I can only hope she feels the same way!

John- Thank you! I think so too. Not sure how this forum feels about sharing pricing but I was able to pick this stone up for $7860.

Tyty- Thank you for the information. I've already made the purchase but I'll keep these in mind if I end up buying anymore diamond jewelry.

TC1987- The stone has arrows that I can see. The cellphone picture is just terrible quality. I'll see if I can somehow take a better one soon. As for the cut, I know she likes round and strongly dislikes other shapes. And the type of cut, I have no idea what those even are! Haha. She knows what the 4C's stand for and thats the end of her diamond knowledge.

Lula- Thank you! All this extra info is extremely helpful but it can make a man feel like he made a mistake. Like coming home with 2% milk instead of Vitamin D. :o) like I said before, I did use the HCA calculator and it came up with an 'excellent' score. It makes me happy that it scored so high but realistically I care more about how it acts and looks in reality not on paper.
 
From the picture and numbers, it looks very nice.
 
Well, TheDude, it certainly sounds like you did your research and did not get swayed by the typical jewelry store tactics. Congratulations -- and I hope you come back with better photos after you propose.

And, for the record, I don't necessarily "prefer" large tables and 60/60 diamonds. But I've seen enough diamonds over the past few years to know that the numbers tell only part of the story. GIA rounds its numbers, for one thing, and all sorts of sloppiness can be hidden in the rounding. So each diamond has to be evaluated on its own merits. Now that "ideal cut" terminology is starting to filter down to the the mom-and-pop and mall jeweler levels, diamond cutters and wholesalers have responded by cutting stones that meet the minimum standards of the GIA Excellent cut grade so that a premium can be charged. But not every diamond in that category looks the same -- there's a huge variety of "looks" within that range, and that's why it's so important to train your eyes and compare as many stones as possible before you buy.

My personal preference is for diamonds that exhibit a high degree of cut precision with sharp, crisp, on-and-off scintillation. Not everyone cares about that or can detect those differences. And the numbers don't tell you squat about cut precision, brilliance and scintillation, which is the aesthetic appeal of diamonds, and what people respond to. That's why I believe there's too much reliance on the numbers here.
 
Hi Dude! This is a gorgeous stone! I'm so sorry for the trouble you've been having at local jewelers! People can be such tards. And it's not like you were coming in there will $100k buying a 10 ct stone! Goodness! Well, anyways, I wish you all the best in getting your ring put together, it will be beautiful! And good luck with your proposal!
 
"WILL SHE BE HAPPY?" Are you kidding? It's a gorgeous diamond. Who wouldn't?
 
maccers|1351890035|3297558 said:
LJL|1351883732|3297496 said:
I would certainly be happy! I think they say the average size of a stone in the real world is ~half a carat so this isnt small by non-PS standards. I think it isnt even small by PS standards.

While 60/60 is a "different type" than many look for, it is also a type that many other people prefer. If you have concerns, I would suggest you try to find a more "traditional" MRB with ExExEx or AGS000 performance and compare the two in person. Let your eyes decide whether you are a 60/60 person or not. Of course, its likely your SO has no idea what any of this means and will just see a beautiful sparkly stone!

Congrats on your upcoming proposal!
Click to expand...

LJL - For us newbies, could you explain how the look of a 60/60 is different from an ideal cut? I've read the theory behind it but I don't quite 'get it'.
Click to expand...

LOL Im too much of a newbie to give you the answer youre looking for. Basically 60/60 stones (the ones that ever get discussed on PS) that are GIA XXX are totally viable stones. The way I have seen it described is as a "different flavor" - not to the extent of an OEC v MRB or anything but that 60-60 stones perform better than TICs in some light and worse/comparable in some light. Ive also seen it described that its more likely to show lots of white light. Of course, take my info with a grain of salt since Im nowhere near an expert and havent even seen a 60-60 in person (oops!).
 
I own a 60/60 diamond and enjoy it very much. It does have great white light return. My best advice would be to tell her to keep it clean. It can dull very quickly with normal wearing. My diamond is set in platinum, so I give it a soaking in ammonia water daily. Keeps the sparkle coming.
 
The 1.0 will be massive on her small finger. She'll be the envy of her friends.

Good price too. If she says no, definitely keep the rock for the next lucky lady. :grin:
 
It's a beautiful stone. Congratulations!
 
Looks like you did your homework and you've bought a winner. :-)
 
Looks like a great stone and it is certainly larger than most diamond e-rings! You did very well!
 
I can't imagine that she won't love it - you have done quite a bit of homework, seen various stones, chosen one with good "bones" as it were, and you love it. What more could you want? Unless she is a true diamond nut (you've already said she is not), she will be so blown away by the whole package, namely a proposal with a large, sparkly and very pretty diamond ring on her finger. What won't she love about that? Congratulations and good luck! Please post photos of the ring with handshots! ;))
 
I didn't realize you had already purchased the stone but I'm sure she will love it. Will be very large on her thin finger...can't wait to see it set.
 
Thanks for the kind words everyone!

At first you all had me thinking I had made a terrible mistake. It's comforting to hear that you diamond fanatics approve. I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as it's mounted and even more pics once its actually on her finger!

The band is a 0.5 ct DeMarco shared prong eternity band. I'm having them take out a stone and add the head to hold the diamond. I need to decide if I want a 4 prong or 6 prong head. It's somewhat hard to find pictures of a 7mm solitaire on a size 4.5 ring finger in both 4 and 6 prong to compare. At least it is difficult for me!

Actually, on the subject of the ring, I plan on playing a *little* joke on her by proposing with a much smaller CZ ring, then putting the REAL one on her finger once she says "Yes". Could anyone point me in a direction where I could find a smaller somewhat realistic CZ ring in her size?

Thanks again for the the help and kind words!
 
Hi, unfortunately we are not allowed to talk about those kinds of non diamond stones on this forum. But you may find a sterling silver white stone ring on eBay for a really inexpensive price. Then if she goes somewhere and doesn't want to wear her real diamond she has an alternative. Just a thought ;)
 
I like to play it safe and make sure the buyer has done the necessary research, understand his/her options and is getting the best possible stone for his needs. Looks like you have done so, so congrats! Enjoy your beautiful diamond.
 
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